Page 57 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

“Why in thebloodyhelldid that git kiss my sodding hand? Is Old English making a move on me?” He paces back and forth frenetically and my eyes narrow.

Distraction. That’s the first rule of passive aggressive hunting—throw them off guard.

See the above, yeah?

“Maybe I upset the balance of the universe when I said the burning clone thing. I should probably take it back.” I grin, buying time to think through what those two schemers could be plotting.

“No taunting, thanks ever so,” he growls, stopping in the middle of the room to glare.

“Ifeverthere was something to taunt you about, this would be it, baby.” I’m lighthearted on the outside, but my mind is playing scenario after scenario, trying to see the chessboard they’re playing on.

He sighs. “He’s on about courting Talia again. What do I say to the blighter? Should I just let him have a go at my woman?”

“Uh, not to be silly, but isn’t that up to her? Sort of you, too, obviously, but Talia has to make that decision. I can tell you that it won’t be just once because Wilde doesn’t do one-time things.Wilde gets... involved. You and Talia will have to be prepared for what happens after that.”

There is no way I can prepare them for what will happen unless I spill the beans and I’m not ready to do that yet. I can’t admit what we let happen to us.

He throws his hands up and growls, “I’m looking for an opinion here, baby. Any opinion would be beneficial.”

Shit. Now I’m trapped. I can’t tell him any of the reasons I object without going into the ugliness of the past and present. “If Talia is looking to get involved in a relationship, then Wilde will oblige. If she’s not willing to be close with him, it will be harder because Wilde doesn’t do casual. He tried once with Tamara and it was a disaster. Are you willing to share her with Wilde in that way? If so, and she wants to, then she can say yes.”

There. That was nice and non-committal. A small warning about expectations, reminder of whose decision it is, and I’ve navigated the shark-filled waters relatively safely. I’d rather shoot myself in the face with a double barrel than get into anything with them or the other two again, but I can’t tell him that.

It would be less painful to get shot, that’s for sure.

“I’m not unwilling to share her, but with Wilde? He’s a rather high maintenance clone.”

I blink. Boy, howdy, if he knew. “Duh comes to mind.”

Dropping onto the bed, he sighs. “My life has gotten infinitely more complicated than I’d hoped for.” He gives me a pleading look from under the arm he’s thrown over his eyes and I crumble.

Dammit.

“Okay, fine. I didn’t say this, and I’ll pretend you were high on sleeping pills if anyone asks. Got it?”

He nods, looking at me with one eye.

“I think it’s a fucking terrible idea. It’s possibly the worst idea I’ve heard since Sari wanted to do the family mating that led to tragedy. I have no clue why this has become so important or why they’ve chosen Talia.”

“I can’t figure out why, either.”

“Sari has always said Talia has a thing for Wilde, but she thinks everyone does. Maybe she thinks if Wilde is dating Talia, Talia will end up part of Beltane. Sari always wanted to get close to her to be part of the ‘cool kids’.”

“My Goddess has always been kind to the git, especially since she had the lab coats change him. She probably could have had him before, but she never had the inclination.” Thumping the bed with his fist, he looks irritable.

“Sari gets things into her head and never changes her mind—that’s nothing new. She’s like a dog with a bone.”

“Why do you think this is a bloody terrible idea, mate? The reasons you gave didn’t jive with the level of vehemence behind the words. There has to be more.”

Rubbing my face, I close my eyes and try to figure out how to explain without truly explaining. “I think that Wilde will want too much, too fast from Talia. That will set him up for disappointment and he doesn’t deal well with not getting what he wants. Also, he just lost Rhea. I don’t know that he’s trying to replace her, but it’s awfully soon to be pursuing someone else. I wouldn’t be and Rafe sure as hell isn’t.”

“Talia is about as far removed from Blondie as a bird can be, so he’s in for a surprise if that’s what he’s looking for.”

I hold a finger up. “Lastly, Wilde is ten gallons of drama in a two ounce rocks glass. It’s in his nature; he can’t live without it. He and Sari come as a package and you can’t have one without the other. They get angsty, morose, elated, and the entire gamut of emotions like someone that’s bi-polar. Talia will be mired in his drama even if she doesn’t want to be.”

“He says he only wants to date her—not mate with her,” Taurus says, lifting his arm to look at me.

I snort, my expression disbelieving. “I don’t believe that. Wilde and I were casual at first, too. It didn’t last long, though.”

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